Lady Hawke
by Demon-Huntress1
Summary: Syaoran Li is a wandering soldier that has a terrible secret. Sakura Kinomotto is a beautiful woman who has a past that is filled with grief. When a young thief named Eriol joins Syaoran, will all be revealed?
1. Strange Folk

**_Lady Hawke_**

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Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura or the movie "Lady Hawke". Yes, we all wish it were true but…What can I say? Some dreams are just too far away to reach.

Full summary: Syaoran Li is a wandering soldier that has a terrible secret. Sakura Kinomotto is a beautiful woman who has a past that is filled with grief. When a young thief named Eriol joins Syaoran, will all be revealed?

Demon-Huntress: Hey everyone! Um….I absolutely love this movie, so I figured it would be a good CCS story. There won't be any magic. (Well, yeah, there will be but not CCS magic) If you haven't seen it, rent it. It's kind of old, but good! Anyway, let the story begin! 

"WORDS"

'THOUGHTS'

(AUTHORS NOTES)

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**_Lady Hawke_**

**_Chapter One: Strange Folk_**

A handsome young man stood at the top of a large hill. His unruly brown hair swayed slightly in the wind, giving him a contented look. However, his amber eyes showed coldness. They were frosty and unforgiving, having a look of hatred that was burned into their very depths. 

            "Sakura…I will get my revenge. Don't worry, you can count on that." The young man muttered, his words being carried by the wind. He stared at the kingdom not too far away, and his eyes grew even colder. "Sakura…" he was brought out of his reverie by the return of a hawk.

            The hawk was beautiful, having chocolate colored wings and strange, but beautiful green eyes. "Soon...Very soon, Sakura." The young man stroked the bird's head and swiftly walked down the hill into the vast beyond.

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            "C'mon Eriol, you can do this. Dig! Dig! Just a little more…" The sewer walls were covered grime, dirt, and pure filth. On the wall, something started to move. You could barely see it, but it was there. Out of the grime, the appearance of fingers started to emerge.  Slowly but surely, a hand started to come into view. 

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The sound of people gasping their last breaths and bodies collapsing in death were the only things you heard.  The Latin mass stopped abruptly, listening to the music of death. The Bishop's face narrowed, his dull blue eyes shining angrily in the dim light. 

The Bishop had all the power in Aquila. He was in charge of the Church; he had all power politically and spiritually. It really was a powerful position. A middle aged soldier walked outside the church, heading toward the dungeons of Aquila. His beard was full, with some gray hairs. His piercing brown eyes showed suspicion, sorrow, frustration, and impatience. 

Walking to the entrance of the building, he swiftly entered the building and said to a lesser guard "I want to see Eriol Hiiragizawa, the one they call 'the Mouse.'" "Hai Sir, just a moment. Onegai, follow me."

They slowly walked down the long corridor, the prison cells echoing misery and despair. At cell 107, they came to a stop. "This is the cell, Sir." The man went in looked around and his lip curled in disgust.

"Wrong cell. Idiot, I asked for Eriol Hiiragizawa. Not a group of mad people." Indeed, as the young guard looked inside the cell, there was no Eriol Hiiragizawa. There was only two elderly men, one with a crazed look in his eye. "The mouse? The mouse…" Both the young guard and soldier turned to look at the man who had spoken those words. 

It was the one of the aged man. He had straggly, wispy gray hair and demented brown eyes. He had a childish grin on his face, although by the vacant look, he had no real idea who he was or exactly where he was being held prisoner. "The mouse…He left our house!" The soldier stared at him, confusion in his eyes. The old man spoke in an immature tone, the range of his voice going high, higher, and then lower. He was crazy, but maybe he had a clue…

"No mouse today…He ran away! To ease the pain he's…he's…he's down the drain!" He shouted these last words, the grin still on his face. He then pointed to a small drain at the center of the floor. It was barely large enough to fit your entire arm. The man's eyes narrowed in anger and disbelief. He gripped the sword and his side and tugged it roughly. It was now in his hand, poised to attack. 

"You lie!" The soldier threw the sword dangerously near the old man's throat. It landed with a resounding thud on the pole at the center of the room, about a centimeter from the old man's face. His eyes lost its crazed look, and were now replaced by fear. "Where is he?!" "I already told, you kind Sir!" The aged man had a desperate tone, while the soldier had an angry manner.  

            "Search all the pipes! Every inch of the sewers. I want every inch of that place inspected!" He angrily stomped out of the cell and threatened he prisoner "If I do not find him old man, you are getting hanged in his place!" To himself, he muttered "There's no way in hell anyone can escape through there…" 

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            "Ugh…Just a little more…" The hand scrapped at the filth, breaking bits and pieces, revealing a dirt smudged face. The young man appeared about 22, having deep violet eyes and straight black hair. It was short but the bangs slightly covered his eyes. He also had glasses, but they were cracked in some places. "Ugh…" Gradually his shoulders and part of his chest appeared. He struggled, wriggling, trying to get out of the small hole. "It's not unlike escaping mother's womb…" he mumbled, his torso slowly coming out. "God, what a memory…" (A/N: Mathew Broderick plays 'Mouse' in the movie. He is so hilarious in it!) His whole body came out of the hole, and he landed with a 'thump' and 'splash' on the bottom of the sewer.  He slowly began wading his way through the dark and musty pipes.

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The bells of Aquila rung loud and clear in mid-afternoon sun. The bells signaled that someone had escaped the prisons of Aquila. This was unheard of, because no one escaped Aquila and survived. Many guards on horses rode out of the city, searching for the man who dared to test their authority

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Eriol waded through the murky water. He knew he must have smelled, but hey, who was he to complain? He wore a gray village shirt and torn brown pants. He desperately needed new glasses. While he was walking, he saw a shadow approach him in the murky water. He looked closer, and he thought it strangely resembled the form of an alligator. Eriol froze in fear and jumped onto a ledge that was holding up the sewer. (A/N: Their like pillars. There are tons of them, ok?) "Lord, I swear I will never pick another pocket as long as I live, I swear. But the problem is, if I die, how can I show my good faith towards you? If you've heard me, then this ledge will stay as hard as a rock and that thing floating towards me will not be what I think it is. If it is, no hard feelings, but I'd be extremely disappointed."  Eriol said this while looking upwards towards heaven, pleading for mercy. 

The form came even closer and drifted by. Eriol saw in amazement as the so called 'alligator' was really just the skull of some type of animal. (A/N: You know in all the western movies, there's always that skull in the barren desert? Think that.) "I don't believe it…" Eriol said in amazement. He quietly chuckled, not exactly believing what just happened. He almost had a heart attack there.  He then heard angelic voices, singing something in Latin. "I do believe it!" He got off the ledge and made his way towards where the voices were coming from. 

There was a rectangle shaped tunnel that led upwards. It had iron rungs on it to climb. "I'm coming…" Eriol murmured. "I'm coming Lord. It's Eriol Lord, Eriol Hiiragizawa." He began ascending towards the voices, and he was breathing heavily from weariness and excitement.  While climbing, he said "You won't regret this Lord, I'm a wonderful person."

He reached the top and peered out of the iron bars that were covered over the top. As it was, he was in the church's sewer. The mass was still going on and the village people sand loudly. 

Suddenly, the church doors opened and the same middle aged guard strode through. He had a troubled look on his face while the villagers had fear/ worry. Eriol wrapped his fingers around the iron bars just as the solider placed his foot atop of the bars. Eriol held back the yell of pain and instead hissed through gritted teeth. He instantly let go of the bars and landed with a loud splash in the water. 

Eriol closed his eyes and began to swim by instinct. He felt that he was blocked by iron bars. He felt an opening big enough for him to swim through, so he did. He swam for a little more and emerged. He found himself outside of Aquila in a small river. They were just beyond the borders, and small villages were located there. On the side of the river sat two fat soldiers, both of low ranking. While the men were boasting, Eriol slowly swam towards them and cut the straps of their money pouches. As he began to swim away he quietly said "I know I swore never again Lord, never again. But I also know that you know what a weak willed person I am…"

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"So you wanted to talk to me Ekiyuu." The soldier named Ekiyuu nodded. "There is disturbing news my lord. A prisoner has escaped the dungeons of Aquila." He himself went to get the prisoner but if the Bishop knew that, he'd lose the position Commander and then some. The Bishop's eyes narrowed. "No one had escaped Aquila; the people accept that as an historical fact."  The Bishop was a tall and handsome man of about 24. He had sandy blonde hair and sky blue eyes. While he was the youngest Bishop in history, he was cunning and intelligent. 

"The responsibility is mine." Ekiyuu bowed his head in apology, showing he would receive his punishment dutifully. "Yes." The Bishop was walking with Ekiyuu around the gardens of the cathedral. Mass hand ended shortly after the soldiers visit during church, when the Bishop knew something was wrong. 

"However my lord, it would be a miracle if he actually made it through the sewer system." Ekiyuu shook his head, dismissing the possibility of anyone surviving.

"I believe in miracles Ekiyuu." The Bishop calmly said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "It's part of my job."

Ekiyuu looked at the Bishop in shock, shook his head again, and said "Anyway, 'tis only a petty thief. He is of no importance." 

"It only takes one grain of rice to tip the scales and one prisoner escaping could lead to the rise of rebellion." The Bishop hissed these words, anger seeping out of him. "Find him."

"I understand, my lord."

The bishop held out his hand for Ekiyuu to kiss the ring on his finger. Ekiyuu obligating did so, and walked away to follow the soldiers to capture Eriol Hiiragizawa. 

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"How far do I have to go? About 350 miles…Damn! I could do with some nice warm food…A piece of lamb just like dear mother would cook…"  Eriol was running, running as if his life depended on it. Actually it did, but he was too cold and tired to worry about such trivial matters. He heard wolves calling in the forest and he swore again. "No…anything but wolves! *Sigh* God, I could use some food…Lamb with some of that good green stuff…" He continued running, leaving Aquila far behind him. 

On his way towards his unknown destination, he stumbled onto a small village. Having decided he needed new clothes, he began to roam the village.  He saw clothes hanging out to dry and children out playing. He walked over to them and said "Hello, how are you?" The children looked at him and surprise, but happily greeted him. "It's so nice- O my god, what's that?!?!?!"  He exclaimed, disbelief and horror on his face. He pointed a finger accusingly at the sky. The children averted their gaze to stare at the sky. They looked but they saw nothing. Eriol quickly grabbed the clothes and started walking away, whistling. He smirked; he had always been a good actor. 

The oldest, about six, abruptly looked away from the sky and at Eriol and whispered to the other children "Hey, he's stealing father's clothes." Eriol's smirk widened. 'You bet sweet heart.'

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Eriol changed his clothing and kept running. He arrived at an open bar. There were small round tables and a bar. Over the bar was a roof made of woven vines, giving it a very fancy look. He walked up towards the bar and said to the owner "Give me your finest wine." "Aye, I'll do it when you show me the money." "No need to be so stingy, my good man. You'll be well paid." Eriol showed him the money bag. The man smiled and gave him a cup of wine. "And anyone else who wants to join me in a toast!" Eriol announced, holding up his cup. 

"What's your toast?" asked a person hidden by a black traveling cloak. 

"To a cunning and courageous man who has been in the dungeons of Aquila and lived to tell the tale." He grabbed a rice ball off the counter, took a bite out of it, and leaned comfortably on the counter. He had great wine, warm food, and he was free. He couldn't have felt better.

"Then you'll be toasting to me boy. I've been to the dungeons of Aquila." The hooded figure was sitting with seven others at two small tables. All of their faces were hidden. 

"Ah, a stone cutter or a carpenter, maybe even a blacksmith. But are you a prisoner?" Eriol looked at the cloaked figure and smirked. He felt confident and that figure dared to say he was better? Ha!

"I never said I was a carpenter." The mystery man drew back his hood, as did the others. 

Eriol wanted to kill himself right then and there. Before him stood the head of Guard, Ekiyuu Kobayashi, along with seven other guards. Eriol gulped nervously and smiled. "You would have stayed alive longer if you stayed in the woods. Very stupid of you, Hiiragizawa."  Ekiyuu stepped towards him, and stopped within an inch of Eriol's face. "You're right." Eriol nodded solemnly and before Ekiyuu could do anything Eriol threw the wine into his face and punched him in the gut. True, Ekiyuu had armor on, but that would at least give Eriol a chance to escape. 

Punching and tripping guards, Eriol fought as best as he could. He wasn't trained or experienced in fighting, but he held his ground. He climbed onto the roof, thinking maybe they would go away. He wasn't sure if they saw him climb up there, so he had a shot. Suddenly, the roof started to collapse. The guards had apparently seen him and cut one of the poles holding up the roof. Eriol yelped in surprise, and he clung to the top. 

It smashed to the ground and Eriol was roughly grabbed by two pairs of hands. He struggled, but it was no use. Eriol's hand felt the handle of a sword. He grabbed it and swung it wildly. Eriol saw in horror as he slashed Ekiyuu's face. It was not a big cut; however Eriol would surely be killed on the spot.  

Eriol dropped the sword and it rang as it hit the ground. "I…I'm so sorry…" Eriol stammered; he was afraid for his life.

Ekiyuu wiped the blood from his face and calmly said "Kill him."

Eriol was pressed up against another pole and his arms were held up, giving them a clear view of his chest. One of the soldiers aimed his sword and prepared to strike. The soldier the launched forward, aiming for Eriol's heart. "Lord have mercy on-" Eriol said these words as the sword were within an inch of him.  Instead of being struck and heading towards heaven, Eriol felt nothing. 

His eyes were clenched shut and he wasn't breathing. Slowly, he opened his eyes. The soldier who was going to kill him was dead; and arrow in his chest. The other soldiers looked amazed and there was a figure standing in front of them. A man. A man with amber eyes. 

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Demon-Huntress1: How was that for a first chapter? Good I hope! Until next chapter; "Angel in Disguise"

By the way that little button down there, press it; I'll give you a cookie!

Review! Review! Pretty please?


	2. Angel in Disguise

**_Lady Hawke_**

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Disclaimer: I don not own the movie "Lady Hawke" or Card Captor Sakura. *weep weep*

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Full summary: Syaoran Li is a wandering soldier that has a terrible secret. Sakura Kinomotto is a beautiful woman who has a past that is filled with grief. When a young thief named Eriol joins Syaoran, will all be revealed?

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Demon-Huntress: I want to thank everybody who reviewed. I really do appreciate it. Now, on with the next chapter!

"WORDS"

'THOUGHTS'

(AUTHOR"S NOTES)

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**_Lady Hawke_**

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**_Chapter Two: Angel in Disguise._**

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            Eriol starred at the man who saved his life. He had unruly brown hair and amber eyes. Eriol couldn't help but cringe; the eyes looked cold and lifeless. He was wearing what looked like a green robe, quite long on the sleeves. The cuffs were gold, and he had a large symbol on the chest. It was held by an orange sash, the green robe coming down in two long flaps of cloth. He had white pants on with green shoes. He also had a strange headpiece, emerald green in color with some gold and red.  (A/N: Basically his traditional Chinese outfit, ok? I'm really not good with describing clothes, so bear with me!) In his hands, the man had a crossbow, another arrow already latched into place. Eriol's eyes widened. What would happen now? Why did that stranger save him? So many questions were buzzing through his head that he felt himself swaying.

"So Li, the rumors are true. The famous Head of Guards, Syaoran Li, has finally returned." 

            Ekiyuu stepped towards the man known as 'Syaoran Li', his mouth in a small smirk. Syaoran returned it and said. "Well, times have changed, haven't they Ekiyuu?"  "Yes, they have…"  The two now faced each other and broke into wide smiles. They embraced in a brotherly hold. Eriol almost fainted; what the hell were they doing?! They were supposed to be enemies!

            They broke apart and Ekiyuu had a large grin on his face. "It's been so long since I last saw you Li. When you left you didn't even write to me, you're so called 'best-friend'." 

            Syaoran had a small smile on his face. "I've been …preoccupied lately. But, it is great to see you again Ekiyuu."

            Although Eriol was confused, no one else was. It was known to all the guards that the two had been close friends.  The guards were surprised at something else though. Syaoran was regarded as the best Head of Guard in all of Aquila's history. However, Syaoran had been banished two years earlier; no one knew the reason why. But now, here he was, back! Perhaps the Bishop had wanted him to return, but it was unlikely; the Bishop hated him, for whatever reason.

            "So, Li, you show your ugly face?"

            Syaoran turned quickly and his eyes narrowed. A soldier ran towards him and thrust a sword at Syaoran; Syaoran growled in annoyance.  He easily avoided the sword and shot an arrow in the man's side. The man's hand lost grip of the sword and he staggered a couple feet. The man hissed in pain but said "Couldn't even protect your friend?" Syaoran gasped in realization. He had been so inattentive that he had forgotten about Ekiyuu! 

            When Syaoran moved out of the swords way, it made contact with Ekiyuu. The soldier had stabbed Ekiyuu in the chest. "Damn you…Netomi." Ekiyuu said in gasps, his breath raspy.  

            Netomi had always bee jealous of Ekiyuu. When Ekiyuu got the job Head of Guard, Netomi had gone mad with jealously and swore he would get revenge. 

            "You...bastard." Syaoran kneed him in the groin. (A/N: Pretend there's no armor there okay? It just works for the story ;p) Netomi grunted and collapsed onto the ground.

            "Ekiyuu, are you alright?! C'mon, Ekiyuu, get up!" Syaoran's voice was desperate. Eriol's feet were planted to the ground; though he wanted to run, he couldn't. The guards were equally spell bound. 

            "I'm glad I had a last chance to see you…Syaoran." Ekiyuu gave a small smile and his eyes fluttered, then closed. A small intake of breath escaped from Syaoran's lips.

            Netomi had now regained his strength. He stood, a malicious smirk on his face. He turned around swiftly and commanded the guards. "Kill Li."

            The guards shuffled nervously, but since Netomi was now Head of Guard they had to obey. They charged towards Syaoran. Syaoran arose, his face completely blank. He turned to Eriol and calmly said "You, take my crossbow. Now." Eriol was surprised, but quickly followed his orders. He took the crossbow and Syaoran pulled out a sword. It looked like a very old fashioned sword. It had an emerald green handle and a ruby red jewel in a gold center piece. On the end of the sword the was a braid of green string, another ruby jewel at the end, with another braid coming out of the end of the jewel.

            'How odd…It looks like a traditional Chinese sword…' (A/N: They are in Japan, and there weren't many foreigners there. That's why Eriol thinks it's odd.)          

            Syaoran met the guards, head on. He mainly used the butt of his sword; it looked like he was trying to avoid seriously hurting people. Eriol decided it was now or never to escape. Deftly, he left the area, being as quiet as possible. When he came to the bar, there were some horses at the entrance. Most likely they were still there. 

Syaoran had knocked unconscious every soldier. "Jeez, was the army always this weak?"  Syaoran sighed. He had not really wanted to fight.

            "Syaoran, why the hell are you here? Are you perhaps remembering *her*?" Syaoran turned around viciously, grabbed Netomi's neck, and whispered in a voice full of hate. "You don't even deserve to speak her name." Netomi's eyes were wide with fright; Syaoran was chocking him, and he didn't look like he was going to let go. 

Syaoran let loose his grip but not before sending Netomi flying. "Damn…" Netomi grunted, falling hard on his back after be thrown. Syaoran gave a small smirk. "By the way, tell the Bishop that I'm here. And I _will_ get revenge." Syaoran gave another small smirk then walked towards the entrance of the bar. 

Eriol, during that whole episode, was currently trying to get a horse to cooperate with him. Perhaps he should have paid more attention to those riding lessons he took. Eriol heard some branches break, and he turned around quickly. There stood Syaoran Li.  Eriol panicked and burst into a quick dash. Syaoran sighed, and quickly got on a rather large black steed. 'Must things always be difficult?'

Eriol ran, as fast as his legs could take him.

'This isn't happening…"

Hooves approached him.

'This can't be happening. 

He felt a strong hand grip his shirt and pull him on top a riding horse.

"Damn! I can't believe this is happening!" Eriol said a loud. He heard a small chuckle. "I won't hurt you." 

            Eriol was very confused at the moment; it seemed so unreal to him. 'Well, I don't think he'll kill me, so maybe I'll be okay…' He looked up at Li. (A/N: He's on his stomach, so that's how he can look up at Syaoran.)

            'Yeah, I think I can trust him…' 

            Suddenly, Eriol heard the screech of a hawk. He saw a beautiful brown hawk soaring above them, gliding gracefully. "You'd better hold on, we have trouble." Eriol was rather surprised at Li's words and quickly looked around. Eriol saw one lonesome guard charge towards them. Syaoran pulled out his sword again while riding, and when he got close enough, stabbed the man in the soldier. The guard grunted and fell to the ground. Syaoran kept riding, and the man recovered. He pulled out a crossbow and strung a bow, and prepared to shoot.  The hawk noticed, and swooped towards the guards. It slashed him in the face with its talons; the guard cried out in pain. Eriol was amazed at the whole scene.

            The hawk then returned to its place in the sky, silently following the two. "She protects us, don't worry." To Syaoran, this seemed normal. Eriol groaned. 'Dear God, what have I got myself into?'

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Demon-Huntress: I hope that chapter was ok. ^_^ Sorry for not posting earlier, I've been kind of busy. This chapter was sort of a filler; nothing special really happened. I changed some stuff from the movie; hope no one's offended. Till next chapter "Silent Beauty"

Review Responses:

SulliMike23: Thank you for being my first response. I didn't realize someone had already done this before, I apologize. 

The Hope: Thanks! I love the movie too; the plot and story line is so great.

AnimeObsessionFanasty: Eventually you'll find out the relationship. Thanks for reviewing.

Mastermind10: Eh?!*blushing* Thank you very much; by the way, I'm holding you to your word


	3. Silent Beauty

  
Lady Hawke  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don not own the movie "Lady Hawke" or Card Captor Sakura. weep weep Full summary: Syaoran Li is a wandering soldier that has a terrible secret. Sakura Kinomotto is a beautiful woman who has a past that is filled with grief. When a young thief named Eriol joins Syaoran, will all be revealed? Demon-Huntress: I want to thank everybody who reviewed. (Sorry I took so long to update; bad habit of mine. I can be so lazy at times...--;) I've been really busy, and I didn't have a chance to complete this chapter. Should I make them shorter? Maybe. Again, sorry for not updating in such a long time. I hope you like this chapter! "WORDS" 'THOUGHTS' (AUTHOR"S NOTES) Lady Hawke  
  
Chapter Three: Silent Beauty  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Eriol sighed. They had been riding for at least five miles, and it couldn't have been more boring. They rode in complete silence, not  
saying a word to each other.   
"Hey, Li, where are we going?" Eriol asked, sarcasm dripping from every word. Syaoran gave him a small glare. "There is a village nearby. Hold your tongue, we're almost there." Eriol sulked. First he was kidnapped, and now his kidnapper was treating him like a little kid. Eriol would have tried to escape, but he knew it would have been futile. This Li guy seemed fully trained in martial arts and Eriol didn't exactly feel like dying today. They went around a bend, and indeed Syaoran was right. There was a tiny village; not even ten houses were there. There was no vegetation; it gave off a very dark and gloomy appearance. Syaoran pulled silently on the reigns and the horse went to a slow walk. "Eh?" Syaoran turned around while Eriol tried to twist his head around to see. There stood a middle aged woman, rather dumpy and unclean. Her dress was a simple village dress, mud brown in color. Her eyes were frightful, and she screamed a very loud pitched scream. Syaoran cringed at the sound while Eriol merely stared at her as if she had two heads. Out of one of the houses, a middle age man appeared, wearing a dark brow long sleeve shirt and black pants. His face sagged and he quickly ran to his wife, trying to figure out what happened. The language he spoke was unknown to Syaoran and Eriol, so they quietly waited on the horse. The man had a grim look on his face, and he turned around sharply to the pair. "What you want with my wife?" Syaoran calmly said "We are looking for a place to stay for the night. Do you perhaps have an inn where we could reside?" The man's face grew tight and he answered curtly "No, no place for you to stay." Syaoran's eyes narrowed. 'So, this man is being stubborn. Damn, I didn't want to use brute force.' "Don't worry sir; we are fully able to pay for your hospitality. And quite a lot too." Eriol said, confidence evident in his voice. Amazing how he could sound like that when he was on his stomach, in a most humiliating position, in front of a young man, with a neck looking like it was going to crack. He reached into his shirt and pulled out a full money bag. He jingled it slightly to prove his point. The man looked at the money pouch, and his eyes were filled with greed. The wife watched the scene unfold nervously and she hurriedly whispered something to her husband. He just shushed her, and he said with a hint of pleasure in his voice "You may stay in barn. It over there." He pointed to an old looking shack; parts of the wall were missing. Made of wood, it rather looked like a longhouse, and it had a small horse stable next to it. Although it was a dump, it was a place to stay for the night. "Arigatou, I am grateful for your kindness. We shall pay in the morning." Syaoran said, his voice full of reassurance. The man eyes him suspiciously, but nodded his head in understanding. Syaoran guided the horse to the stable and he quickly got off. He tied the reign to a tree branch, although Eriol wondered why he didn't just bring the horse to the stable. Eriol sighed as another situation presented itself. Eriol hesitated, unsure of what to do. He didn't know if he should get off the horse yet. Syaoran saw his nervousness and he said "You can get off, you know. However, if you try to escape, there will be dire consequences." Eriol slowly nodded his head. Syaoran eyed him for a second, but then turned and entered the barn. Eriol quickly got off the horse, uncertain of what to do know. He heard a small screech. Surprised, he turned around. The hawk was sitting on a branch of a nearby tree. 'So, it followed us all the way over here, huh?' Eriol sighed yet again, his mind wandering. 'Well, this has been an interesting day...' -------------------------------------- -- "What's your name?" Eriol was surprised at the question but quickly answered "Eriol sir. Eriol Hiiragizawa." Syaoran smiled. "Well then Eriol Hiiragizawa, you will put my horse in the stable and fetch fire wood." "NANI?!" (A/n: If anyone doesn't know the meaning of these words, just tell me and I'll add them later.) "You have to do something useful. Beside, it's almost sundown." At the word 'sundown', Syaoran's eyes grew unimaginably hard and cold. Eriol was afraid of the look in those eyes.   
"Fine..."Eriol grumbled a sour sulk on his face. Sighing, he grabbed hold of the horse's reigns. "So...Uh...what's her name?" Eriol was curious as to what a person like Li would name their horse. Syaoran scoffed. "HIS name is Goliath. Goliath, go with him; he doesn't mean to be a baka." Eriol's scowl deepened. "Hey, what's with the insults?!" Syaoran merely gave a small smirk and said "Don't forget the firewood." Eriol glared at Li, but he turned and started to lead the horse towards the stable. "You know Goliath, before we go any further, I think I should tell you the story of a small man named David..." (A/N: I just had to add that!) -------------------------------------- --   
Syaoran was finally alone. He sighed. "Sundown..." He whispered silently, his eyes no longer hard. They were full of sorrow and unshed tears. Noiselessly, he reached into a bag that he had brought into his room. He pulled out a beautiful emerald green kimono. It had a dark forest green obi and the material was extremely soft. On the bottom of the kimono, there was a cherry blossom tree, its bright pink petals vibrant against the green. On the cuff, there was gold embroidery depicting cherry blossoms. "Someday..." Syaoran said, watching the sunset through the wall of vines. (A/N: The wall is woven tree braches, but there are a lot of large gaps. That's how he could see the sunset.) He gently placed the dress on a table and he quietly waited. -------------------------------------- -- It was now late evening. Eriol shivered; the temperature was going down pretty fast. "Damn...Why do I have do this?" Eriol grumbled. "There's something about that Syaoran Li..." Eriol whispered. "He wants something from me...I can tell by the look in his eyes." Eriol wanted to straight out ask Li "What the hell do you want with me?" Eriol knew that wasn't smart though; he didn't know what Li was capable of. "He wants something, but what? "Eriol couldn't help but feel uneasy under Syaoran's cold stare. "And if he desperately wanted my help, he could at least give me some respect!" Eriol frowned.   
"Jeez why did I leave Aquila? It was better than this. Sure, my jail partner was crazy and utterly nuts, but at least he gave me respect!" Eriol grew more and more annoyed at Li's behavior. "That's it! I'm not going to put up wit this crap any longer. I'm still a young man; I've got prospects! Lord, I'm off to find my golden future so goodbye and-" Eriol sopped mid- sentence. He heard a strange noise. Eriol listened closely and when he recognized the noise, he made a loud moan. Wolves. Stinking wolves. 'Lord, why does this crap always happen to me?' Eriol stopped where he was and his body froze. Should he make a dash for the barn? He heard loud snarls piercing the silence. Yeah, that seemed like a good idea. Eriol ran as if his life depended on it. (A/N: Sorry, sorry, I know; bad pun. xp)   
Eriol ran and he could here the wolves charging after him. His breath was deep, the need to get more oxygen over-powering. He had wandered quite far into the forest and that might not have been the smartest thing to do; if only he realized that sooner.   
He could see the barn now; he could make it. His breath quickened. The snarls of the wolves were growing fainter. Eriol wanted to look, but he was not going to be stupid and trip. The door was not even a hundred meters away. He pushed himself on. He outstretched his hand, grabbed the door handle, swung the door open, jumped inside and slammed the door shut. His breath came out in pants and his heart beated a mile a minute. He turned around to the wall of woven vines and looked outside. Apparently the wolves got tired of chasing after him and decided to get something easier. Eriol sighed. Wow, life really did throw some curve balls. 'Thank you Lord, you don't hate me after all.'   
Eriol came out of the house, walking cautiously and hesitantly. He stopped in front of dead tree about 45 feet away from the barn and he looked around. The sun was down and it seemed to be around seven o' clock. His body tensed. Eriol thought that he heard leaves crinkling and branches snapping. He shook his head; it must have been the wind or something. This town was practically deserted, and the few people who were here was as silent as the dead.   
If Eriol had looked closer, he would have realized it wasn't the wind or his imagination. Behind the barn was a dark silhouette, the two figures hunched. It headed towards Eriol, taking slow and deliberate steps. Eriol heard the branches snapping, and it was too loud to dismiss again. He instantly whipped around and saw the man earlier who had let them stayed in the barn. Beside him stood his wife, the same petrified look still on her face. The man grinned and attacked Eriol, while the wife whimpered. Eriol's eyes widened and he put up his arms in quick defense. (Should I end it there?) -------------------------------------- -- (Nah, I'm not that cruel. ;p) The man pushed Eriol to the ground and Eriol grunted. The man grabbed Eriol's throat, trying to choke him. Eriol's hands grabbed the man's arms and he struggled, trying to get him to let go. Despite appearances, the older man had quite a strong grip. Eriol clenched his eyes shut and he wriggled trying to get out of the man's hold. Eriol tried to bite the man's wrists, but as unsuccessful.   
"The money...will be mine." The man's eyes gleamed and they were consumed by greed. Eriol clenched his eyes shut. His chest felt like it was going to explode. 'Am I really going to die? No, not like this...' Eriol felt his last breath leave him. The world was already dark because his eyes were closed, and cold soon crept up upon him. Suddenly, the weight was ripped off of him and he heard a strangled scream Eriol violently coughed and slowly lifted himself off the ground. His eyes widened in shock. There stood a large black wolf, its eyes shining from the moon light. He had torn out the man's throat, and the dark red blood was seeping into the ground. The woman was on the ground, rocking back and forth, her sobs echoing in the night. Eriol's breath caught in his throat. 'What the hell am I going to do know?' -------------------------------------- --   
A thought came to Eriol's mind. That Li guy had some weapons, most likely they were in his room. Eriol cautiously got up, and ran to the shack. He heard no movement from behind him, so he figured the wolf was still attacking the older man. He slammed the door and threw anything he could to stop the wolf from entering. After he was done, he looked all around the room. On the edge of a small wicker table, Eriol spied the crossbow and arrows. Hurriedly, he grabbed it and started to place an arrow in place. "Wolf...Wolf...Why the hell do I have all the bad luck?" Eriol was nearly shouting. Usually he was calm and suave. However, he'd didn't want to be eaten today. Eriol finally got the arrow in place. Placing the arrow in between the vines, Eriol searched for the wolf. He saw it, its eyes glowing in the darkness. Blood was bright on the ground.  
  
Swallowing, he took careful aim. His fingers tightened around the trigger. Suddenly, an ivory palm was softly placed on the crossbow. Eriol swiftly turned around, and his mouth was soon hanging open.  
  
Before him stood a beautiful young woman, adorned in a dark green kimono. Pictures of soft cherry blossoms flowed across the fabric. Her hair was a light honey brown, long and silky. However, her most beautiful feature was her dazzling green eyes.  
  
Before Eriol could stutter a word, the young woman whispered "Shh..."  
  
Eriol stared at her as the woman moved closer to the door. She pressed her forehead against the vines, and her eyes took a dreamy expression. Slowly, she headed towards the entrance of the door, and Eriol woke up from his reverie.  
  
"Miss, that's not a good idea! There are murderous wolves and- and-"  
  
The woman merely smiled, pushed aside all remnants of furniture, and walked out the front door. Eriol watched with open eyes and started towards her to stop her. However she turned towards him, giving him a look that clearly showed not to follow her, and Eriol gave up.  
  
"Well," he mused aloud," Maybe I'm simply lying in my bed, dreaming I'm awake, wondering if I'm dreaming." he scrunched his brow. "Or I'm awake, hoping I'm dreaming, and living in denial." Eriol sighed. He was going to have mental issues after this whole scenario.  
  
Meanwhile, the beautiful woman approached the wolf, and the wolf seemed in turn to greet her. Calmly and silently, they walked into the darkness.  
  
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Demon-Huntress: Oh my god, how do you people put up with me? Again, I am SOOOOOOO sorry! I really will try to update more often. I'm finally off school for a while! So I will have the next chapter up soon. My thanks to:  
  
TheHope: Again , I'm sorry I didn't update. But I am very pleased and flattered to know that you like my story so far.  
  
SulliMike23: Thanks, I hope I continue hearing from you.  
  
AnimeObsessionFantasy: I'm happy that you thought it was interesting, and I hope you like the chapter.  
  
cherry berry-chan: I'm always happy to know that reviewers like my story. Its very flattering. Here's the next chapter!  
  
AA Battery: Don't worry, I WILL continue the story. And I'll manage to put cherries on top in words! 


	4. Mystery is Afoot

Lady Hawke  
  
Disclaimer: I don not own the movie "Lady Hawke" or Card Captor Sakura. weep weep Full summary: Syaoran Li is a wandering soldier that has a terrible secret. Sakura Kinomotto is a beautiful woman who has a past that is filled with grief. When a young thief named Eriol joins Syaoran, will all be revealed? Demon-Huntress: Did you guys like the last chapter? I hope you did. Although the format did get messed up. I don't know why; sorry about that. Oh well. Enjoy!  
  
"WORDS" 'THOUGHTS' (AUTHOR"S NOTES)   
  
Lady Hawke  
  
Chapter Four: Mystery is Afoot  
  
Eriol stared up at the bright blue sky, his gaze both annoyed and curious. The events of last night played through his mind. A wolf that seemed both wild and tame, a mysterious (and beautiful) woman, and the odd disappearance of Syaoran Li! He had appeared in the morning, but last night, Eriol saw no signs of him.  
  
Eriol frowned. He didn't know what was happening, but he didn't like it. While he had always been fascinated by magic, he never wanted to experience it first-hand. And he was very afraid that he might be caught up in something big. Eriol couldn't help the small groan. He always seemed to get himself mixed up in something either dangerous or incredibly stupid.  
  
Li insisted that they move forward and get away from the village as soon as possible and continue their journey. Before they left, though, they gave the man's body a proper funeral. The wife was full of grief, and spoke to neither of them.  
  
It was a little past noon, and Li had allowed them to take a short break. He was leading them somewhere, Lord only knows.  
  
Eriol was currently lounging, while Li was sitting on the ground his back against a tree.  
  
"Li, where were you last night?" 'No sense beating around the bush...'  
  
"Is that really any of your concern?"  
  
"Yes, considering a wolf almost killed me last night and YOU weren't there to kill it. You're the expert in the area of weapons."  
  
"You really are pathetic. Anyway, to answer your question, I was out surveying the area to see the best route possible."  
  
Eriol processed this new information. It seemed logical. Eriol glanced over to Li.  
  
"Did you see a woman while you were 'surveying the area'?"  
  
Syaoran's eyes snapped open, and he looked at Eriol, his eyes full of an unreadable emotion.  
  
"No, why? Did you see anyone?" His voice sounded thick with emotion. Eriol was surprised.  
  
"Well, while you were gone, a beautiful woman appeared in our barn. She was as lovely as dawn, but she could have easily just have been a ghost. I was very surprised, but then again I could have easily lost my life that night. I was a bit preoccupied."  
  
Syaoran looked at Eriol, and slowly turned his head the other way. He let out a small chuckle, although it was full of some unsaid pain.  
  
"I have been looking all my life for a woman like that. You are lucky that you got to see her face."  
  
Eriol was rather taken aback by Li's whole attitude. He wasn't acting liked his cold, sarcastic self. He looked as if he was in great pain; not physically, but emotionally. Eriol never saw this side of Li.  
  
Suddenly, there was they cry of a hawk. Eriol looked up and saw a beautiful hawk nestled in the trees. Li smiled when he saw the bird.  
  
"Well," he said, getting up, "We should start back on the road. I didn't want to rest this long."  
  
Eriol got up too. "By the way, where are we going?"  
  
Syaoran smirked.  
  
"We're going to Aquila."  
  
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"NO WAY, NO HOW!" Syaoran held back a chuckle; he expected this.  
  
Eriol starred at Syaoran. "You can't make me go back there! Are you nuts?!"  
  
Syaoran sighed, calmly sat down on a rock, and said "There is a reason why I need to go to Aquila. I need to kill someone.  
  
Eriol sat down too, looked at him, and plainly said. "Oh? And who is this walking corpse? He'd better be important, if you want me to go back with you."  
  
Syaoran gave him a dead pan stare. "The Bishop of Aquila."  
  
Eriol's eyes widened "That's a pretty important guy. And, this urge to kill him is caused by...what?"  
  
Syaoran's eyes darkened.  
  
Eriol waved his hands. "Okay, not important! Now, why do you want me to go to Aquila with you?"  
  
Syaoran curtly answered "You are the only prisoner who ever escaped Aquila and lived. I need you to get me to the Bishop."  
  
Eriol looked at him for a second and said "You don't need me. Look at yourself; you seem pretty well trained in martial arts."  
  
Syaoran shook his head. "There are too many guards for me to just stampede in there. I need to get better access at him."  
  
Eriol starred at Syaoran for a full five minutes. Then he started to laugh. He was laughing like a maniac. Syaoran was exasperated and amazed by his attitude. 'I knew he was weird, but I didn't know he was this weird.'  
  
"Do you know what I went through to get OUT of Aquila?! As soon as I set a foot in that city, I'll be immediately thrown into jail again!"  
  
Syaoran pulled out his sword. Eriol leaned back, fear coming into his eyes. Was Syaoran going to kill him?  
  
"This sword has been in my family for generations. Every male has a duty to fulfill with this sword, and my duty is to kill the Bishop."  
  
"Are you nuts?"  
  
Syaoran simply said in response to this statement "We're going to Aquila."  
  
Eriol stared at him. Slowly, he got up, his eyes still locked on Syaoran, and said in a quiet voice.  
  
"When I saw you, I thought there was something different about you. You are surrounded by some strange aura. You're mixed up in some strange things, Li, and I don't want to be a part of it."  
  
Eriol started to walk away, while Syaoran looked at him.  
  
"Is he nuts? I am not going to Aquila, especially to assist in some murder!  
  
Eriol continued on, when suddenly something whizzed by his ear and landed with a 'thud' on the tree not even a foot from him.  
  
Eyes twitching, he looked on his left. There was the very family sword that Li had in his hands not even two minutes ago.  
  
Turning around, Eriol saw Li smirking.  
  
Turning back, he muttered "Let me get some firewood..."  
  
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It was now dark and Eriol was not exactly happy. Li had taken a 'precaution' and tied Eriol to the tree saying "We wouldn't want you to just 'wander' away, now would we?"  
  
Eriol had tried a couple times to get free, but Li had a wicked knot.  
  
Sighing, he wondered why his life was so hard.  
  
Suddenly he heard leaves and twigs crunching. Eriol thought it might be Li coming back, since he had left earlier. However he did not expect to see what the sight before him was. It was the same beautiful woman as the night before. She wore a different kimono, but no one could mistake that face.  
  
Having a pale pink kimono with a pearl white obi, she looked radiant. However, she was a bit preoccupied. She was trying to catch what seemed like a rabbit. However, it was currently hiding in a brush of some kind.  
  
"Come on. Please come out. He wants you, you know, and I can't deny him anything." She had a pleading look in her eyes, like she didn't like what she was doing.  
  
"Excuse me, miss!" Eriol called out to her. Startled, she whirled around.  
  
"Who are you?" She walked towards him and said in surprise "Oh, you're the young man traveling with Syaoran!"  
  
Eriol was taken aback that she knew Syaoran with such formality, and even more so when she knew him. Was she stalking them?  
  
"Yes, miss, that's me. I was wondering if you could cut me loose. You see the Bishop's army found me. Being the idiots that they are, they tied me up so that the Bishop himself could come see me tomorrow. I just need to get free miss, if you'd be so kind."  
  
The young woman had an amused look in her eyes. "Is that so?"  
  
Eriol nodded his head vigorously. "Yep, I tried to fight them off, but there were at least forty men."  
  
The woman chuckled. "All right." Coming closer, she pulled out a small knife and started to cut the ropes. Eriol was so happy he wanted to cry.  
  
There was a loud crack, the sound of a large branches being broken. The woman quickly turned around and looked around for something. Not finding what she wanted, she turned back to the young man to find him missing!  
  
"Thank you, kind miss!" was heard in the distance. The woman held her breath, sighed, and said quietly to herself "He is NOT going to be happy..."  
  
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Demon-Huntress: I hope everyone liked this chapter. I thought it turned out pretty good, although it is kind of short. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! It means a lot to me!  
  
AnimeObsessionFanasty-Believe me, I get those dreams too. ;p  
  
SulliMike23- I'll try to update quicker! I just haven't really had a chance until now, but I'll try. Keep reviewin'!  
  
NET- I do plan to add Tomoyo. (She'll appear in about 1 or 2  
chapters.) There will be a little Tomoyo x Eriol. Thanks for the  
constructive criticism; I need it!

Feyla- You figured it out already! Wow... Yeah, I know the format for  
the last chapter isn't right. I don't know why. Sorry you got a  
headache while reading it. Thanks for reviewing.  
  
The-Wolf-of Stars-Was this quick enough for you? LOL. I'm glad you  
like my story.  
  
Keep the reviews coming in!


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